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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core
zone of Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul
This project has been funded by the German Federal Ministry for
the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building
and Nuclear Safety with means of the Advisory Assistance
Programme for Environmental Protection in the
Countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and
Central Asia. It was supervised by the Federal Agency
for Nature Conservation (Bundesamt für Naturschutz, BfN) and the
Federal Environment Agency
(Umweltbundesamt, UBA).
The content of this publication lies within the responsibility
of the authors.
Bishkek / Greifswald 2014
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul
prepared by:
Jens Wunderlich
Michael Succow Foundation for the protection of Nature
Ellernholzstr. 1/3
D- 17489 Greifswald
Germany
Tel.: +49 3834 835414
E-Mail: [email protected]
www.succow-stiftung.de/home.html
Ilia Domashev, Kirilenko A.V., Shukurov E.E.
BIOM
105 / 328 Abdymomunova Str.
6th Laboratory Building of Kyrgyz National University named
J.Balasagyn
Bishkek
Kyrgyzstan
E-Mail: [email protected]
www.biom.kg/en
Scientific consultant: Prof. Shukurov, E.Dj.
front page picture: Prof. Michael Succow
desert south-west of Issyk-Kul – summer 2013
www.biom.kg/enmailto:[email protected]/home.htmlmailto:[email protected]
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Abbreviations and explanation of terms
Aiyl Kyrgyz for village
Akim Province governor
BMZ Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
of
Germany
BMU Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation,
Building and
Nuclear Safety of Germany
BR Biosphere Reserve
Court of Ak-sakal traditional way to solve conflicts. Court of
Ak-sakal is elected among
respected persons. It deals with small household disputes and
conflicts,
leading parties to agreement.
ESPOO Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a
Transboundary
Context
GTZ German Technical Cooperation (today GIZ)
Local kenesh The local council, consists of 10-16 people and
functions as local
legislative court, approves the budget, adopts plans for social
and
economic development of the local territory.
Jaiyt committee Pasture council committee
NABU Naturschutzbund Deutschland (German environmental NGO)
SCENP State Committee of Environment and Nature Protection of
the Kyrgyz
Republic
SAEF State Agency of Environment and Forestry
Women’s council form of social organization, which has its roots
in the Soviet Union and
aims at the mobilization of women and consideration of their
interests
in various matters. In villages, they often deal with social
issues as
kindergartens, schools and so on
Zakaznik wildlife sanctuary or game management reserve
Zapovednik state reserve – strictest nature protection regime in
Kyrgyzstan (IUCN Ia)
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CONTENT
1. SUMMARY 1
1.1. Objectives of the project 2
1.2. Expected results according to the project proposal 2
2. STATUS QUO 3
2.1. History of Biosphere Reserve establishment and Germanys
contribution 3
2.2. Status and prospects for nature conservation in Issyk-Kul
province 4
2.2.1. National and international level of protection of the
territory 4
2.2.2. Issyk-Kul State Reserve 4
2.2.3. Sarychat-Ertash State Reserve 5
2.2.4. Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve 5
2.3. Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul at a glance 6
2.3.1. Zonation 7
2.3.2. Monitoring 8
2.3.3. Rangers and law enforcement 9
2.3.4. Education 9
2.3.5. Tourism 10
2.3.6. Cooperation 10
2.3.7. International recognition of biodiversity in Issyk-Kul
province 11
2.3.8. Particular threats or shortcomings of Biosphere Reserve
Issyk-Kul performance 12
3. INTRODUCTION TO THE KARA-KOO AREA 15
3.1. Location 15
3.2. Description of a transect along altitudal zonation 16
3.3. Socio-economic situation 26
3.4. Tourism perspectives 27
4. CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS 30
4.1. Objects of nature conservation value 30
4.2. Discussion of nature protection measures for the area of
investigation 31
4.3. wildlife matrix zones (micro reserves) – new principles for
the protection of ecosystems 33
4.4. Agenda setting 36
5. LITERATURE 40
6. ANNEXES I
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TABLES
Table 1 site description of submontane semi-desert zone (after
Gottschling, 2003) ..................22
Table 2 site description montane dry-steppe zone of transect
(after Gottschling, 2003)............23
Table 3 site description montane steppe zone of transect (after
Gottschling, 2003) ..................24
Table 4 vertebrates are represented by three types within the
area of investigation.................25
Table 5 conditions of villages in the area of investigation
.......................................... ..................27
Table 6 species of nature conservation value in the area of
investigation...................................30
Table 8 some of the priorities for political consulting on Issyk
Kul Biosphere Reserve that has
been raising during the elaboration of the
desk-study................................................
....39
MAPS
Map 1 overview map of Biosphere Reserve Issyk
Kul....................................................
.................6
Map 2 map of latest Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul zonation
(revised by MSF 2013) ...................... 8
Map 3 Relevant nature conservation areas (IUCN Ia, II and IV) in
Central Asia and some
biodiversity indicators of international organizations,
initiatives or conventions...........12
Map 4 location of area of investigation
..............................................................
..........................15
Map 5 Distribution of vegetation in the area of
investigation........................................
..............25
Map 6 protected areas and strengthening efforts in Kara-koo area
............................................33
SCHEMES
Scheme 1 colline-desert zone of transect
.............................................................
........................19
Scheme 2 submontane semi-desert zone of
transect.....................................................
..............21
Scheme 3 montane dry-steppe zone of transect
.........................................................
.................23
Scheme 4 montane steppe zone of
transect.............................................................
....................24
PICTURES
Picture 1 Lake Issyk Kul shore from point of investigation area
..................................... .............16
Picture 2 Lake Issyk Kul shore from point of investigation area
..................................... .............17
Picture 3 ephedra communities
........................................................................
............................17
Picture 4 badlands ................................
...................................................
......................................21
Picture 5 badlands ................................
...................................................
......................................21
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul
1. SUMMARY
Kyrgyzstans’ unique natural landscapes, its history as an
extraordinary tourism destination and
its rich cultural traditions predestine the country for the
establishment of UNESCO Biosphere
Reserves.
The Biosphere Reserve Issyk Kul is one out of 23 biosphere
reserves worldwide and the only
one at the whole Eurasian continent whose establishment was
supported by the German
Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
(BMZ, 2011). Thus the
German government cares a relevant responsibility to make the
Biosphere Reserve Issyk Kul a
success story.
As model regions for sustainable development, biosphere reserves
are regions where human
interactions go along with the preservation of the cultural and
ecological heritage. With 20 % of
the state territory, the Kyrgyz UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
Issyk-Kul covers an area, which
reaches from the cost of the “hot lake”, along arid steppes and
high mountain pastures up to
the glaciers and the 7,000 m peaks of the Tian Shan.
The broad diversity of landscapes makes sustainable development
of the Biosphere Reserve a
challenge. Therefore the administration cooperates with the
provincial administration (Akim)
on equal level. At national level the State Agency of
Environment and Forests of the Republic of
Kyrgyzstan has the responsibility for the biosphere reserves of
the country.
Recipients of the desk-study are the Biosphere Reserve
administration, the State Agency for
Environment and Forests, as well as the partner-NGO in
Kyrgyzstan BIOM. The latter one has
contributed fundamentally to the study.
The study provides a technical basis with recommendations for
further development of the
Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul according to the Seville
Strategy.
A focus has been put on recommendations for a better protection
of the arid coast area and
badland back country of the south-western Issyk-Kul lake (near
Kara-Koo village).
For the preparation of the study, amongst others, the authors
conducted interviews with the
Biosphere Reserve administration, collected data during
fieldwork and analyzed available
literature. Discussions with experts have been showing the
current state of affairs and built the
basis for further recommendations.
The most crucial one is, to apply a type of protected area,
which secures the natural succession
of devastated ecosystems, without principally eliminating the
(partly touristic) anthropogenic
use.
In this way the study introduces the concept of the “wildlife
matrix zone”, resp. “mini
zapovedniks”.
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul
1.1. Objectives of the project
Current core zones are inadequate and do not represent all of
the ecosystems of the Biosphere
Reserve Issyk-Kul in the opinion of the applicants. The area of
Kara-Koo (see map. 1) (often
referred to as area of investigation in that study), in
South-West of Issyk-Kul lake, is a small
territory of desert habitat with semi-desert patches, adjacent
to Issyk-Kul shore. Since it is
unique and of outstanding ecological value for the whole
Biosphere Reserve it is worth to be
investigated in more detail in order to turn these areas into a
stronger nature protection
regime. It is important to protect it from growing
infrastructure construction in the region in
particular increasing mass tourism.
The desk-study is planned to give answers to the following
topics
• Ecological characterization of an area around Kara Koo city
mainly by literature review
and consideration of current state of research
• Identification of threats for the ecosystems
• Literature review about protected area status
• Analysis of tourism development potential of the area
• Potential impact and recommendations of a possible future
protection
1.2. Expected results according to the project proposal
The result of the desk-study is to be a policy document
that:
• Could be used as basis to define future priorities in the
field of environmental and nature
conservation cooperation at governmental talks between
Kyrgyzstan and Germany;
• Provides approaches of nature conservation and tourism
development concerns in the
Seville strategy sense;
• Serves potential for discussions to incorporate nature
conservation concerns into regional
development goals;
• Serves for future lobby work of the Kyrgyz NGO BIOM to extend
protected area activities
in the Issyk-Kul province.
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul
2. STATUS QUO
2.1. History of Biosphere Reserve establishment and Germanys
contribution
Already in the Soviet Union a series of state reserves
(Zapovedniks) around Lake Issyk-Kul were
established (see chapter 2.2). In 1993 for the first time the
idea for the development of a
Biosphere Reserve at the territory of Issyk-Kul province has
been born jointly with the State
Committee of Environment and Nature Protection of the Kyrgyz
Republic, Naturschutzbund
Deutschland (NABU, Nature Protection Association of Germany) and
representatives of
University of Greifswald. According to KUSTARYEVA & ANAZOVA
(2002) in 1994 the “Issyk-Kul
conference” took place where the idea has been settled.
Beginning in 1995 the German
Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) started
to support the
establishment of a Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul (in these times
“Tengir-Too”) (BMZ 2011).
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) has been assigned for
implementation. 150
representatives from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Germany
and Switzerland took part
at the kick-off conference in 1996. That formed the basis for a
joint resolution to establish a
Biosphere Reserve complying with the UNESCO standards for
Biosphere Reserves. To lay out
the scientific basis for the Biosphere Reserve a series of
investigations and research campaigns
were initiated and regularly presented at the “Issyk-Kul
symposium”. The first one took place in
2001. Others where following annually 2002 until 2005.
In 1997 the GTZ project “Leitlinien für eine umweltgerechte
Entwicklungsplanung im Gebiet des
vorgesehenen Biosphärenterritoriums ‚Tengir Too‘” started. The
project was implemented
under the Ministry of Environment, Crisis Prevention and Civil
Defense of the Republic of
Kyrgyzstan. Together with the German company “Planungsgruppe
Ökologie + Umwelt”
(Hannover) planning criteria and legislative basis were prepared
and published. After
preparation and enacting the law “On biosphere reserves in the
Kyrgyz Republic" a
corresponding resolution on the Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul has
been established in October
1998 on the basis of a presidential decree (Gottschling 2002).
In September 2001 the official
recognition as international UNESCO Biosphere Reserve occurred.
The Biosphere Reserve
administration started to work in 2000, in Balykchy town at the
western most part of Lake
Issyk-Kul. In autumn 2001 the GTZ project started into its 3rd
phase (2001-2004) with the
milestones of building up a functioning administration, support
of monitoring programs, public
relations and implementation of sustainable land use approaches.
Already in 1999 NABU
started the snow leopard monitoring and protection programme at
the territory of Issyk-Kul
province. In 2002 the first periodic review has been transmitted
to the UNESCO ICC MAB and
only recently in 2013 the 2nd periodic review was delivered.
Thanks to Mrs. Elnura Korchueva,
representative of UNESCO office in Bishkek, it has been made
available for that study.
In its final report of the 25th session of the international
coordinating MAB council in Paris, May
27th – 30th 2013 the secretariat welcomed the delivery by the
Biosphere Reserve Issyk Kul
administration. In its response the secretariat motivated the
biosphere reserves administration
at page 27 to develop a management structure und management plan
that includes proposals
on how participatory decision making processes can be further
encouraged in particular on
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul
resource management. As the UNESCO representative in Bishkek,
Kyrgyzstan, stated “they” did
not receive answer on the report delivered and thus where not
knowing about the mentioned
request. Consequently there were no activities so far. Those
issues can get sorted out pretty
easily and should not become a serious threat for the
international designation of the
biosphere reserve. Ideally some international flanking support
for the task could contribute to
its short termed implementation.
Besides the sources of information mentioned above already, the
GTZ project finished in 2005
and has commissed three proceedings on scientific investigations
by KUSTARYEVA & ANAZOVA
2002, KUSTARYEVA & ANAZOVA 2003 and KUSTARYEVA 2005. In the
frame of a comprehensive
landscape ecological research campaign a bunch of theses were
published in the late 90ies and
early 2000th (BEUTELL 1997, ENGELKE 1997, ZEMMRICH 1997,
HEINICKE 1999, KOCKSCH 1999
and GOTTSCHLING 2003). Additional literature sources originated
to that investigation
campaign were published by NEUNHÄUSER et al. 1996, ASYKULOV 2002
and GOTTSCHLING
2002. Relevant older literature from soviet period should be
mentioned as well (ABRAMOV
1949, SOBOLEV 1972, AZYKOVA 1973, GOLOVKOVA 1979 and GOLOVKOVA
1990). More up-to-
date literature from Kyrgyz sources were published by MAMYTOVA
1992 and SHUKUROV
(1989, 1990, 1991, 2009) for instance.
2.2. Status and prospects for nature conservation in Issyk-Kul
province
2.2.1.National and international level of protection of the
territory
The conservation of biological diversity in Kyrgyzstan is under
the administration of the State
Agency of Environment and Forestry and regulated by
environmental laws that have
mainstreamed the relevant international conventions and
duties.
Red Data Book of Kyrgyzstan is prepared on the basis of the
national list of threatened and
endangered species, approved by the Government of the Kyrgyz
Republic as of April 28, 2005
№ 170 (as amended and supplemented on July 25, 2009 № 471). The
list includes 57 species of
birds, 23 species of mammals, 2 amphibians, 8 reptiles, 7
species of fish, 18 species of
arthropods, as well as 87 species of higher plants and fungi
threatened.
Conservation of biological diversity is provided by a system of
special protected areas in
Kyrgyzstan that deliver a set of different protection regimes
dedicated to meet different nature
conservation targets. The research area, Kara-Koo, is partially
covered by Issyk-Kul State
Reserve (zapovednik). It is one of the core zones (see map 1) of
Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve.
Besides there are several game management reserves (zakaznik) as
well as nature monuments
within the biosphere reserve. The protection regime there is
much less then in state reserves,
access is allowed, there is no staffed guarding regime in
zakazniks.
2.2.2.Issyk-Kul State Reserve
In 1948 the Council of Ministers of the Kyrgyz SSR from December
10, 1948 № 1205 established
one of the first reserves of the Kyrgyz SSR - Issyk-Kul State
Reserve. The initial area of the
reserve consisted of a two-kilometer shore stripe of
approximately 730.000 ha all in all.
Currently the total area of the reserve is about 19.100 ha and
is represented by 14 separated
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul
sites, 2.300 ha of which are covered by shore and 16.700 ha are
water surface at sites with
huge wintering waterfowl occurrence, and 22 ha compose
islands.
Within the reserve 24 species of mammals, 232 species of birds,
12 species of fish and 297
species of plants are under protection. In 1975, upon the
signing of the RAMSAR Convention by
the former USSR, Lake Issyk-Kul has received the nomination as a
wetland of international
importance. It came into force in 2002 with the ratification of
the law "On the accession of the
Kyrgyz Republic to the Convention on Wetlands of International
Importance especially as
Waterfowl Habitat" (RAMSAR Convention). In March 2003, the
Kyrgyz Republic became a full
party to the RAMSAR Convention.
The main objective of Issyk-Kul State Reserve is the protection
and monitoring of wintering
waterfowl. Annually there winter from 30 to 50.000 individuals
of different species of birds on
the lake. In addition, in spring and autumn the lake serves as a
resting and feeding area of
waterfowl migrating flocks of birds. The state reserve protects
11 species of birds and 13
species of insects listed in the Red Data Book of
Kyrgyzstan.
With the collapse of the USSR, the coordination for
comprehensive wetlands research at Lake
Issyk-Kul has dropped. Everything that has remained is the
protection and monitoring of
wintering waterfowl at Lake Issyk-Kul (Kulagin: available at
internet:
www.welcome.kg/ru/reserve/iss/279.html).
2.2.3.Sarychat-Ertash State Reserve
Sarychat-Ertash State Reserve has been established in 1995 with
the aim to protect flora and
fauna of the region, first of all the habitats of snow leopards
and argali that live under
comparably pristine conditions. The total area makes up 134.140
ha where 72.080 ha are under
strict protection and the remaining under limitations. There are
25 species of mammals. Out of
them Snow Leopard, Brown Bear, Manul and Argali are listed in
the red data book of Kyrgyzstan.
84 species of birds are recorded including four listed in the
Red Data Book: Saker Falcon,
Golden Eagle, Bearded Vulture and Himalayan Griffon. Two fishes
(Diptychus gymnogaster and
Nemchilus stoliczkai) and one amphibian (Bufo viridis) are
confirmed. Invertebrates are not
investigated comprehensively so far.
2.2.4.Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve
By the decision of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic with
the aim of preserving the rich
natural and cultural heritage, a resolution on the establishment
of Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve
within the administrative boundaries of the Issyk-Kul province
of Kyrgyzstan was adopted in
1998. In 2001 Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve has been designated
under the UNESCO programme
Man and Biosphere (MAB) and thus entered into the worldwide
network of biosphere reserves.
In terms of visibility of the outstanding natural and cultural
properties of Issyk-Kul district this
has been one of the most significant achievements. Issyk-Kul
Biosphere Reserve thus has
become a specially protected natural area of national importance
in Kyrgyzstan.
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www.welcome.kg/ru/reserve/iss/279.html
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul
Map 1 overview map of Biosphere Reserve Issyk Kul
2.3. Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul at a glance
The territory of Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve is home of
approximately 630.000 inhabitants. The
SAEF of the Kyrgyz Republic is in charge for the biosphere
reserves of the Kyrgyz Republic,
whereas the head office and administration of Issyk-Kul
Biosphere Reserve is located in
Balykshy at the outer most western place of Lake Issyk-Kul. The
administration is directly under
the akim of Issyk-Kul province and negotiates its issues from a
comparably strong position.
By chance it became possible to have an appointment with the
biosphere reserve
administration at 18th of December 2013. The meeting took place
with the director of the
biosphere reserve, the head of the scientific and monitoring
department and the head of the
education department. These sources of information enabled us to
gain additional information
for that study apart from literature.
The directorate of the Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve has changed
in summer 2013 to Mr. Mirslav
Alkalovich Amankulov, who is an ecologist and forester by
profession.
The biosphere reserve has currently 23 paid employees of which
two are senior management,
six nature protection department, four monitoring department,
four scientific employees, three
rangers and five technical employees. Additionally the biosphere
reserves’ visitors’ center in
Cholpon-Ata has three employees which are currently not paid.
That happened when the
entrance fee to the biosphere reserve that had to be paid by
every car driver accessing the
biosphere reserve heading from Bishkek (Tshu province), had been
disposed in 2013. The so
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul
called “ecologic post” gained a relevant income that run into
the biosphere reserves’ budget.
The parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic has stopped to charge that
source of income since it
could not have been made transparent where exactly the income is
spent for. According to the
biosphere reserve director this had a considerable impact on all
activities related to nature
conservation and sustainable development activities of the
biosphere reserve. Expenses for
monitoring, sciences, environmental education (including
visitor’s facility), law enforcement has
cut to 6.88 % of the overall budget. Most of the budget goes
into the salary of employees
currently. The income from “ecological post” made in 2012 59% of
the total annual budget of
the biosphere reserve according to the 2nd periodic review
(2013).
The state reserves have their own staff including at least one
administration employee plus
rangers of each of the fourteen separate parts of Issyk-Kul
State Reserve as well as Sarychat-
Ertash State Reserve.
2.3.1.Zonation
According to the 2nd periodic review the whole Issyk-Kul
Biosphere Reserve has a total size of
4.311.588 ha. Core zones make up a size of 145.072 ha (of which
freshwater: 16.678 ha), buffer
zones 3.501.516 ha (of which freshwater: 457.145 ha) and
development zones 665.000 ha. In
percentages the share is 3.3 % core zone, 81.2 % buffer zone and
10.6 % development zone.
Impreciseness might be caused in unclear boundary
definition.
Despite the fact that there have been extensive research and
publications along the
establishment of the biosphere reserve in none of these
publications a precise map or
delineation nor a zonation could be found. The same is true for
searching the internet. The only
map that could give an indication about a zonation could get
gained from the 2nd periodic
review of the BR which is that low in resolution and detailness
that it is impossible to clearly
distinguish between separate zones or even identify clear
boundaries.
The reason for that became quite obvious at the meeting with
biosphere reserves’
administration. At the moment there is no clear zonation of the
Biosphere Reserve. The less
there are indications or coordinated management needs in
practice. According to the biosphere
reserves’ director many of the core zones are not identified in
the field.
The map below was received at the meeting in December 2013 in
analog DIN A3 format and
was reworked as in map 2. However it is the most precise map
currently available. The director
of Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve confirmed that zonation is
currently under revision and precise
mapping in planning. There is no definite deadline yet.
At a later stage sign posting is envisaged as well but requires
financing which is currently not
budgeted. The revision of zonation is planned to take place at
district level in a participatory
manner. An updated map including precise GIS data is
expected.
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul
Map 2 map of latest Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul zonation
(revised by MSF 2013)
In theory there are two core zones in the Biosphere Reserve
Issyk-Kul which are both almost
identical to both state reserves mentioned in chapter 2.2. The
first one is Sarychat-Ertash State
Reserve; the other one Issyk-Kul State Reserve. Sarychat-Ertash
State Reserve is situated south
of the city of Karakol in the high mountains of Central Tian
Shan. Issyk-Kul State Reserve
consists of 14 separated subunits which are all located around
the lake itself along the shore.
A Buffer zone has been reported at the meeting with the
Biosphere Reserve administration
consisting of National Park Karakol which is located west of
Sarychat-Ertash State Reserve (not
depicted in map 2). Karakol National Park has been established
in 1997 and makes up a size of
38.256 ha. The development zone is to a large extent not clearly
defined especially taking the
lake surface itself into consideration and the constantly
changing sea level of Lake Issyk-Kul.
Since these statements do not really fit to the map (see map 2)
the situation must be
understood as unclear. As map 2 shows the majority of the
biosphere reserves’ territory is
made up by the buffer zone, where the development zone consists
of a large area of Lake Issyk-
Kul which is under economic use (fishery) and the big
cities.
2.3.2. Monitoring
According to the 2nd periodic review there is a broad range of
monitoring activities about the
biotic and abiotic features of the biosphere reserve (pages 18 –
19) including staffing. A long list
of cooperating local, regional and national institutions that
conduct or support research and
monitoring activities are given at pages 19 and 20.
In fact, beyond the comprehensive scientific research in soviet
times, regular monitoring has
only remained in concise project frameworks and mostly species
oriented; to a far extend
financed through international donor originations or NGOs. NABU
international conducts
waterfowl surveys three times a year, as well as a patchy mammal
monitoring. WWF and NGO
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul
“Panthera” jointly do snow leopard monitoring in Sarychat-Ertash
State Reserve. Recently a
camera trap shot of a snow leopard was published
(www.panthera.org/node/4525). In
September 2013 an international snow leopard symposium in
Bishkek took place under
participation of parties from all over the world including many
of the relevant organizations
working on snow leopard monitoring and conservation. Knowledge
on distribution and
behavior of snow leopard has increased already since remote
sensing, camera trapping and
telemetry is being applied. These methods were introduced to
Kyrgyzstan and Issyk-Kul
Biosphere Reserve. The advantage of snow leopard conservation is
the better understanding
and protection of that mega flag ship species and its pray, that
results in better habitat
conservation and gains benefits for the whole ecosystem. The
downside is that other habitats
get into disadvantage in the contest about attention and
protection efforts. As already
mentioned in chapter 2.3 the cancelation of the “ecologic post”
fee in 2013 omitted the
biosphere reserves’ budget to proceed at least with a minimum of
budget for monitoring and
research activities apart from flag ship species monitoring.
Most of the still ongoing monitoring
in the biosphere reserve takes place thanks to private
initiatives of local nature conservation
activists. Usually they are well connected with the already
mentioned international
organizations.
2.3.3.Rangers and law enforcement
It has been stated by biosphere reserves’ administration that
the protection regime of both
state reserves in Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve shows comparably
good performance. But it must
be noted that in consideration of the missing indication of the
core zones as well as little public
awareness at the whole biosphere reserve territory concerning
socio-economic constraints and
shortcomings for livelihood of local population, this statement
needs to be considered
carefully. At least the biosphere reserve administration raised
honest concerns about
professionally organized poaching activities in Sarychat-Ertash
State Reserve. Several authors
confirm weak law enforcement, corruption and intensive land use
(hay making, livestock
breeding, agricultural production) within the state reserves. Of
course a lot of impact is caused
by unregulated tourism especially in the shore area of Lake
Issyk-Kul even within the state
reserves. Payment of biosphere reserve staff, among others
rangers, is extremely low. It is
pretty likely that chances to gain additional income are taken.
It is also known that rangers
themselves keep livestock within the state reserves. The fodder
supply of desert, semi-desert
and dry-steppe ecosystem close to the Issyk-Kul shore is
marginal. For Issyk-Kul State Reserve
there is no nature conservation management plan yet.
2.3.4.Education
The head of the Biosphere Reserve education department did
present running education
approaches. There are regular seminars for pupils as well as for
teachers (ToTs) in schools,
several issues on sustainable development, nature conservation
and biosphere reserve are part
of the curricular and an annual ecological calendar has been
established in order to get pupils
regularly connected to their environment.
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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2.3.5.Tourism
Lake Issyk-Kul is a priority tourism destination in Central
Asia. Nowhere else in the region exists
a lake that could compete with Lake Issyk Kul and the very
peculiar climate. In Soviet times a
comprehensive tourism infrastructure has been developed around
the lake, mostly at the
northern shore. Already in these times some of the tourist
housings were closed because of
destructive impact to the environment, first of all because of
problems with the sewage system.
The number of tourists has declined seriously after the collapse
of Soviet Union but started to
increase again since a decade. Concepts for the development of
ecotourism with staying in
yurts overnight and other offers became rampant but their share
is marginal in comparison
with conventional tourism offers. However it should not be
underestimated that many families
do earn the major share of their annual income with ecotourists.
GTZ prepared
recommendations for interested companies who are willing to
invest into sustainable tourism
offers in the Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve (GTZ, 2001). One out
of many recommendations the
study gives is to focus on some selected hot spots for tourism
development to facilitate centers
of growth for income and employment generation and to relieve
pristine and natural habitats
from the majority of anthropogenic impact.
The whole province depends on the tourism industry which in turn
is very vulnerable against
political stability in Kyrgyzstan but also against an intact
environment – which became serious
in 1998 when the mining company “Kumtor” caused a huge disaster
by discharging loads of
cyanide into river Barskoon that flows into the lake. Tourism
numbers dropped immediately by
50%.
According to Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve administration, tourism
development needs to be
oriented to the new regulations on the sustainable development
strategy of Kyrgyzstan as
confirmed by the government of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan in
June 2013 for the period 2013
until 2017. Tourism development is coordinated with the akim of
Issyk-Kul province.
In general tourism development has been much uncoordinated in
Issyk-Kul province within the
last decade. The northern shore was subject of heavy house
building and tourism infrastructure
construction work. Paradigms of sustainable development benefit
sharing, participatory
approaches or consideration of the environment has been largely
neglected. At the same time
the southern shore has hardly been developed and tourism
infrastructure is still minor so far
(more in detail see chapter 3.3). In general tourism
infrastructure and traffic is to be considered
as one of the most serious threats for the ecosystem.
2.3.6.Cooperation
In regard to current ongoing cooperations with the biosphere
reserve administration the
following has been mentioned at the meeting of 18th of December
2013: Academy of Science
Bishkek, independent experts (for instance with the reputable
Prof. Shukurov), ADB (Issyk Kul
sustainable development project), monitoring activities run by
French and Japanese
organizations as well as the Kyrgyz dependence of the German
NABU International.
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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At national level there are professional links with the only
remaining other biosphere reserve in
Kyrgyzstan “Sary Chelek Biosphere Reserve”. At international
level some networking activities
existed with Biosphere Reserve Schorfheide-Chorin in Germany and
currently opportunities
with Altai Transboundary Biosphere Reserve are being
explored.
2.3.7.International recognition of biodiversity in Issyk-Kul
province
Kyrgyzstan is incorporated in Conservation Internationals´
Biodiversity Hotspots with
“Mountains of Central Asia”. The biodiversity hotspots are
defined as follows: “The world's
most remarkable places are also the most threatened. These are
the Hotspots: the richest and
most threatened reservoirs of plant and animal life on
Earth.”
(http://www.conservation.org/where/priority_areas/hotspots/Pages/hotspots_main.aspx).
Biodiversity Hotspot “Mountains of Central Asia” entails approx.
1.500 endemic plant species,
three endemic threatened mammal species and one endemic
amphibian species (see annex III
pp. IV).
The Issyk-Kul basin forms also part of the WWF global 200
ecoregion “Tian Shan montane
steppe and meadows” and thus is defined as priority area for
conservation worldwide (Olson &
Dinerstein 2002) (see annex III p. VI).
The research area is included in Fish Ecoregion of World: 627 -
Lake Issyk Kul - Upper Chu. (see
annex: III pp. VII)
There are three RAMSAR sites in Kyrgyzstan. One of these areas
is “Issyk-Kul State Reserve with
the Lake Issyk-Kul” (see annex: III p. IX)
There are two IBA sites within Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve.
Eastern Issyk Kul lake (criteria: A4i,
A4iii) and Western Issyk-Kul lake (criteria: A1, A4i, A4iii).
(see annex: III pp. X).
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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Map 3 Relevant nature conservation areas (IUCN Ia, II and IV) in
Central Asia and some biodiversity indicators of
international organizations, initiatives or conventions (RAMSAR
and IBA not depicted)
2.3.8.Particular threats or shortcomings of Biosphere Reserve
Issyk-Kul performance
As expressed by the periodic review
• Missing laboratory facilities and equipment to analyze water
quality of the lake and the rivers flowing into the lake;
• Poor waste water treatment and sewage facilities all over the
territory. Infrastructural investments and technological
improvements are of high priority for the maintenance of
ecosystems;
• The work on inventory (land cadastre, mapping, inclusion of
legal relations into a database) has not been finished. Especially
the definition of boundaries of sanitation zones and their
degradation status through anthropogenic impact has not been
done but is of highest
importance for protection of water quality.
As expressed by the biosphere reserves’ administration
At the meeting with Biosphere Reserves’ administration the
following threats have been
notably expressed in regard to future prospects for biosphere
reserves’ development in the
idea of the Seville strategy:
• Poaching in particular mammals, large herbivores and snow
leopards, is another serious threat for biodiversity conservation.
Hot spots are sites around Kumtor and within the
Sarychat-Ertash State Reserve. There are hunting companies that
organize hunting tours and
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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destinations. Currently annually 20 Argali are licensed for
hunting – but there is no scientific
basis for these licensing numbers in fact; Anti-poaching means
are at the most top of the list;
• More monitoring support also as scientific basis for hunting
licenses and long term population development data;
• Delegation journeys would be appreciated to receive lessons
learned and to get in exchange with employees of biosphere reserves
in other countries;
• International biosphere reserve cooperation (with German
biosphere reserves, for instance Schorfheide-Chorin which is
existing already according to the 2nd periodic review but must
be understood as not to be a close contact at the moment
according to biosphere reserves
administration) on the ground of international cooperation and
information exchange
(guideline principles on biosphere reserves as of MAB
international council at its 17th session
March 2012) would be appreciated.
• The gold mining company “Kumtor” is percepted as serious
threat for the environment, polluting ecosystems including Lake
Issyk-Kul. From biosphere reserve administration there
is reported lack of interest in negotiations about possible
compensation mechanisms.
Instead full stop of ecologic pollutions needs to be
realized;
• Glacier melting between 1960 and today - The area covered by
glaciers has decreased from 80.000 km² to 60.000 km² country wide.
There is evidence that pollution from Kumtor
mining company and Aral Sea basin salt fractions are main
driving factors for the
accelerating glacier melt. Thus abat more uncertain water
availability in future;
• Missing law enforcement is one of the main shortcomings for
contraventions. This is closely linked with the decreased budget
for biosphere reserve tasks.
As expressed by nature conservationist in Kyrgyzstan
• The whole shore of Lake Issyk-Kul is under intensive use due
to limited pastures, in particular winter pastures, and limited
arable land. Its entire territory has been shared
among villages. Today sealing and land consumption have become
most serious threats for
human-nature interaction in balance. In particular the tourism
zones at the northern shore
of Lake Issyk-Kul around the city of Cholpon-Ata are especially
concerned. Economic
activities have to be seriously regulated and monitored in the
shore zones. The less harmed
and the more pristine the areas have remained the more urgent
their strong protection is.
This to avoid further loss of ecosystem functions and depletion
of biodiversity in these
areas;
• The sea-buckthorn bushes and the narrow strip of wetlands
along the northern, eastern and south-eastern shore of the Lake
Issyk-Kul play an important role for natural soil
formation, filtering surface and groundwater supplies and
cleaning of impurities from the
entire basin (Shukurov, 1990). In certain places the width of
the sea-buckthorn belt
reached more than 2 km. At Lake Issyk-Kul these habitats form a
unique microclimate that
increases humidity by reducing evaporation, in winter it creates
snow accumulation and
provides for slower melting procedures than in open areas. It
creates favorable conditions
for the emergence of meadow grasses and a large variety of
animals. Currently there are
only very few intact sea-buckthorn communities at the shore of
Lake Issyk-Kul.
Anthropogenic impact, namely development of infrastructure along
the shore and scrub
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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cutting, has caused massive damage to the Issyk-Kul natural
complexes and negatively
impacts recreational resource quality as well.
• Harvest of fruits of sea-buckthorn is usually taking place in
the way that collectors uproot the entire bushes in order to be not
harmed by the thorny branches while
picking the berries. These results in thinning and finally die
off of the sea-buckthorn
bushes. There is an urgent need to put the sea-buckthorn-water
zone under
protection or limited use, respectively. In recent decades, on
the areas with sea-
buckthorn large areas of forest plantations were established,
mainly elm and
apricot. Unlike sea-buckthorn bushes - they poorly stop or
slowing deflation
exposed soil. They form much humidity in the surface layer.
Therefore, when
creating reforestation measures in Issyk-Kul region, species
must be taken that have
been tested by nature itself, which is sea-buckthorn.
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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3. INTRODUCTION TO THE KARA-KOO AREA
3.1. Location
The area of investigation is confined by the south-western shore
of Lake Issyk-Kul and its
hinterland (see map 4 and the violet indication of the area of
investigation). Its eastern limit is
Bokombaev town and the western Kara-Koo town. The altitude
expansion is starting at Issyk-Kul
sea level of 1.609 m a.s.l. in average to the montane peak of
Kisilchoku mountain ridge with
2.399 m a.s.l., from colline zone to lower limits of
high-montane zone. The area is part of
northern slopes of Terskey-Alatau of the Northern Tian Shan.
Annual precipitation is less than
200 mm in the colline zone and increases with altitude to
montane zone to up to 400 mm.
Mean temperature in July is between 16-18°C and in January -2 -
-4°C (Atlas Kirgizskoy SSR,
1987). In winter the area is almost free of snow cover. Its
geographic location causes an arid climate
that determines its biotic and abiotic natural inventory. The
area is characterized by
comparably little anthropogenic pressure and sparsely
distributed tiny settlements yet,
relatively remote from traffic infrastructure and thus in
comparison with other shore near areas
of Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve pristine. To a far extent an
explanation is its composition of so
called badlands, which are too unproductive for agriculture and
pasturing .
Map 4 location of area of investigation
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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3.2. Description of a transect along altitudinal zonation
To describe the area of investigation an altitudinal zonation
along a transect from North (lake
side) to South (mountain ridge) was chosen (compare orange line
at map 4). It has been
elaborated by Gottschling in 2003 in a very sophisticated way
and is drafted in below. For
proper understanding note the legend:
Legend 1 in terms of use the following abbreviations are
used:
W – winter pasture, SP – spring pasture, S – summer pasture, A –
autumn pasture
Colline semi-desert zone (1.600 – 1.800 m a.s.l.)
The colline semi-desert is bordering to
Lake Issyk-Kul shore. Characteristic
vegetation form (more details on the
Vegetationsformenkonzept see Succow
& Joosten 2001) of the zone is a
Kalidium–Reamuria kaschgarica –
dwarf shrub semi-desert with coverage
of 10-15 % at ordinary burozem soil.
Distribution of vegetation is diffuse.
Dwarf shrub semi-desert is poor of
species. At a site of 100 m² five to ten
species are represented among those
Kalidium cuspidatum, Kalidium
schrenkianum, Sympegma regelii,
Zygophyllum rosovii, Limonium
hoeltzeri and others. Productivity with one to two decitons per
hectare.
There are almost no differences of northern and southern aspects
in the natural landscape
because of the arid climatic conditions. At sheltered slopes
(eventually with rare water inflow)
occasionally Stipa caucasica and Krascheninnikovia ceratoides
occur. Ordinary burozems are
gypseous but not remarkable saline. Soils of silt content
develop silt crusts at the top layer that
protect to a certain extent from aeolic erosion. Cattle passage
and car traffic on the other hand,
destroy the crust and stimulates wind erosion. Sandy and
skeletal semi-desert soils are less
prone to erosion. In terms of relief and substrate the badlands
form outstanding sites. They
consist of seriously saline tertiary silty sediments and rise
above the flat surrounding areas,
sometimes interstratified by layers of rock. At slope sites only
some centimeters below soil
surface substrate became very hard (syrozem with silicium
hardening). Moreover at slope sites
no semi-desert vegetation survives. Vegetation remains only at
favorable depression sites and
lower slopes. Thus the site is to characterize as a desert due
to substrate and relief
Picture 1 Lake Issyk Kul shore from point of investigation
area
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
Biosphere Reserve Issyk-Kul
constitutions. Younger lake sediments,
especially those consisting of sandy
substrate and saturated by ground
water in different proportions, are
seriously salt affected because of
capillar ground water streams that
occure under these colline semi-desert
climate.
Under medium or high ground water
table, capillar streams occur and
accumulate salt in the soil (gley-
solonchak, gley-calcium salt raw soil).
Different shrub communities and wet
meadows or wet pastures are to be
found here. Solely close to shore of Lake Picture 2 Lake Issyk
Kul shore from point of investigation area
Issyk-Kul sandy soils are free of salt
where high ground water table and sea-buckthorn shrub
communities (Hippophae rhamnoides)
occur. A lateral soil water stream most likely prevents soil
salinisation. A typical ephedra
intermedia–dwarf-shrub usually occurs at free / poor of salt,
well drained sandy substrates with
only little ground water interference. Ground water table that
would cause capillar streams
obviously is too low.
In more eastern areas (where the transect
went through) it was found that slightly
declining areas are to a very large extend
under use (irrigation and furrow irrigation).
Skeletal or not irrigated areas are under
pasture. Not salinized sites are even under
intensive pasture use throughout the year.
All these land use aspects are omitted in the
area of investigation where land use is to
the largest extend absent and natural
landscapes still remain.
The peculiarities of the areas in proximity to
the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul within the area Picture 3 ephedra
communities of investigation are described in detail by
Romanovsky (1991) in the dimension of its geomorphological
genesis. Weed vegetation is
intensively growing in the shore areas plus different species of
aquatic vegetation but most
dominant are reed communities, especially in Ak-Terek and Ton
river inflows. In both inflows
perfoliate mixed tangle and fennel pondweed species (Potamogeton
perfoliatus, P. pectinatus),
Eurasian water milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), Vaucheria ssp.
and others.
At shallow water grounds Chara altaica, Ch. connivens Salzmann,
Ch. Cantraria, Ch. aspera and
other occur. In deeper water Tolypella nidifica (Mill) Leonh,
Ch. intremediata, Ch. tomemtosa
(ceratofylla Wallz.) are represented. The belt of stonewort
communities decreases along the
whole shore zone of the lake until 40m in depth (Romanovsky,
1991). The endemic seaweed Ch.
crinitoides Hollerb is becoming more dominant (Mambetalieva et
al., 1960).
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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According to Pavlova (after Romanovsky, 1991), the vastest
biodiversity of benthic organisms is
registered in stonewort habitats. They are represented by
chironomid larvae, mollusks,
gammarids, mysids, oligochaetes and others.
Side note on water filtration system and peculiar vulnerability
of the sea buckthorn - bog
complexes of the Issyk-Kul shore (1.609 m)
The Issyk-Kul basin, in parallel to the geomorphological uplift
processes of Tian Shan
Mountains, has been formed to a large extent by groundwater and
surface runoff. Because of
this geomorphologic peculiarity a large amount of pollutants
infiltrate the endorheic basin.
These are accumulated and cause eutrophication. Having no
effluent rivers, Lake Issyk-Kul is
under very slow water-logging processes and functions as natural
filter.
These natural filters are “recreational” sands, bogs and wild
shrublands near the shore. These
ecosystems are dominated by sea- buckthorn communities. The
shallow wetlands are inhabited
by many microorganisms forming a vivid filter. Main parts of
these natural filters consist of bog
microorganisms, grasses and shrubs. Sea-buckthorn is the most
dominant plant, but not the
only relevant element of the filter; others, usually associated
with sea-buckthorn are reed,
barbery, cherry-barbery and blackberry-currants vegetation
communities.
“Recreational” sands serve as shore stabilizer and have
sanitary, epidemiological functions, thus
they also have recreational functions. Issyk-Kul shore in
general is comparably poor of organic
processes and thus of special vulnerability to anthropogenic
impacts. Organic substrates are
hardly processed, accumulate in the sand and degrade its
aeration and permeability. At pristine
shores sands smells like the lake itself. Biotic degradation
processes are self-perpetuating and
cause depletion of species composition and abundance of
psammophiles. It results in a
decreasing ability to assimilate and process organics. Extinct
littoral communities are not able
to process even small amounts of organic contamination
anymore.
Exceeding the limits of contamination causes anaerobic
processes. As a result the level of
sulphurous layer increases. Finally it covers the entire
thickness of the soil moisture of the
recreational sands. A characteristic black and smelling layer of
hydrogen sulfide rise to the
surface.
In order to combat the accelerating degradation processes large
areas of former sea-buckthorn
communities were reforested, mainly with elm and apricot within
the last decades. Currently,
the areas covered by sea buckthorn communities amounts only to a
few thousand hectares
hardly any that are not harmed (see chapter 2.3.8.)
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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Scheme 1 colline-desert zone of transect (after Gottschling,
2003)
1 2 3 4 Vegetation Hippophae rhamnoides-
shrubs with Rosa beggeriana and Epilobium
hirsutum
Nitraria sibirica-Hippophae
rhamnoides-shrubs Nitraria sibirica-
Halimodendronhalodendron
- shrubs with Phragmites
australis,Salsola australis,
Thermopsisturkestanica
Calamagrostisepigeios–
Phragmite saustralis–
Glycyrrhizs Glabra - wet
meadow
Soil gley-raw soil (not saline) gley-calcium salt raw soil
gley-calcium salt raw soil gley - solonchak
Substrate calcareous sand, lake
sediment
skeletal calcareous sand
(lake sediment)
skeletal calcareous sand
(lake sediment)
calcareous sand (lake
sediment)
Relief flat, gentle slope, Issyk-Kul-
shore
flat, gentle slope flat, gentle slope flat, gentle slope
Substrate
water
soil wetness ground water effected ground water effected soil
wetness, capillary
ground water pressure
Meso climate hyper arid
(eventually lake effected)
hyper arid (eventually lake
effected)
hyper arid (eventually lake
effected)
hyper arid (eventually lake
effected)
use no use no use, occasional minor
pasturing (W)
no use, occasional minor
pasturing (W)
occasional pasturing (W)
5 6 7 8 Vegetation Ephedra intermedia-semi-
desert
Kalidium (cuspidatum)–
Reamuria kaschgarica– Dwarf-shrub semi-desert; at slope sites
higher share
of an Stipa caucasica; and former agricultural sites
with Artemisia subgen. seriphidium
moist pasture of Elytrigia
repens,Phragmites australis
with Nitraria sibirica– shrubs
moist pasture of Blysmus
compressus, Juncus
bufonius, Juncus
articulatus, Juncus
heptapotamicus,
Triglochin palustris,
Halerpestes sarmentosa,
Potentilla anserina, and others
Soil gley-calcium salt raw soil, gley-pararendzina
ordinary burozem gley-solonchak grey-gley
Substrate skeletal calcareous sand calcareous silt, skeletal low
calcareous silt layer on calcareous silt (lake sediment) calcareous
to of calcareous sand (lake
sediment)
Relief flat, gentle slope undulating, flat, gentle depression
site Gentle slope, in front of slope, aspects to all ground water
impounding
directions small mountain ridge
Substrate water little ground water affected formerly short
termed
irrigation
soil wetness, capillar
ground water pressure
soil wetness
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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Meso climate hyper arid
(eventually lake affected)
hyper arid hyper arid hyper arid
Use Moderate pasturing (W) Occasional pasturing (W) Regular
pasturing,
(W,SP, S, A)
Very heavy pasturing
(W,SP, S, A)
9 10 11 Vegetation agricultural use of Artemisia annua,
Elytrigia repens, Medicago lupulina,
Cirsium incanum, Avena fatua,
Lathyrus tuberosus, and others
Free of vegetation Nitraria sibirica – Kalidium-shrub
semi-desert
Soil Irrigated agricultural-burozem syrozem, serious
salinization,
silicium hardening
colluvial-burozem, serious salinization
Substrate calcareous sand clay, calcareous silt calcareous silt
from very salinized
tertiary sediments
calcareous silt from very salinized
tertiary sediments
Relief gently slope cliffs to all aspects, badlands depression
in badlands
Substrate water furrow irrigation course regime rare episodic
inflow from adjacent slope sites
Meso climate hyper arid hyper arid hyper arid
Use irrigation no use occassional pasturing
Table 1 site description of colline semi-desert zone (after
Gottschling, 2003)
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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Submontane semi-desert zone (1.800 – 1.950 m a.s.l.)
That zone is already composed of a higher
species diversity of semi-deserts and higher
vegetation cover of up to 40%: thorn cushion
- dwarf shrub semi-desert with Allium
oreoprasum, Convolvulus tragocanthoides
and Helianthemum songoricum at dark
burozems (substrate skeletal calcareous
sand, gypseous). Besides species of lower
altitudes of the semi-desert areas like
Reamuria kaschgarica, Zygophyllum rosovii,
Limonium hoeltzeri, Kalidium cuspidatum, K.
Picture 5 badlands
schrenkianum and others the following species
occur: Brachanthemum titovii, Krascheninnikovia
ceratoides, Lagochilius platyacanthus,
Convolvulus tragocanthoides, Acantholimon
alatavicum and Caragana aurantiaca. Sometimes
in seperate Stipa caucasica, Agropyron
christatum and Stipa lessingiana. At the skeletal
calcareous sandy and gypseous sediments
deflation pattern at the layer prevent or at least
decrease erosion processes.
Picture 4 badlands
Scheme 2 submontane semi-desert zone of transect (after
Gottschling, 2003)
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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1 2 3 Vegetation Allium oreoprasum–Convolvulus
tragocanthoides–Helianthemum
songoricum–(thorn cushion-) dwarf
shrub semi-desert
Reamuria kaschgarica-Helianthemum
songoricum) dwarf shrub semi-desert
Degraded dry steppe of Salsola
collina, Neopalassia pectinata,
Botrichloa ischaemum, Artemisia
tianschanica
Soil dark burozem normal burozem dark burozem
Substrate skeletal calcareous sand. Bouldered skelet,
gypseous
skeletal calcareous sand, gypseous, deflation pattern
skeletal calcareous sand, gypseous
Relief Cliffs but moderate sloped, different aspects
aeolic exposure large depression
Substrate
water
- - -
Meso climate arid hyper arid arid
Use moderate pasturing (W) moderate pasturing (W) Serious
pasturing (formerly very heavy pasturing) secondary
vegetation (W) (possibly SP, A)
Table 1 site description of submontane semi-desert zone (after
Gottschling, 2003)
Montane dry-steppe zone (1.950 – 2.200 m a.s.l)
Dominant vegetation form is Salsola collina, Artemisia
tianschanica, Stipa capillata dry steppe
with a cover of 35–55%. It is of moderate gypsiousness at pale
kastanozem. In opposite to semi-
desert the share of grasses is considerably higher. Additionally
to the already mentioned Stipa
capillata and Festuca valesiaca, there also occur Artemisia
tianschanica and legumes as
Oxytropis globiflora and Astragalus chomutovii. Other species
are: Orostachys thyrsiflora,
Allium weschnjakovii, Lagochilius platyacanthus, Achnatherum
splendens, Lappula microcarpa,
Meniucus linifolius, Botrichloa ischaemum, Ajania fastigiata and
others. At that altitude there is
a large depression with a gently sloped surface exposing to the
north on a -glacial boulder of
mostly little cover of silt layer.
At some places there are alluvial fans and river gravel. At
soils with siltcontaining substrate
irrigation farming is done. The short growing season decreases
the choice of arable crops. To
grow spring wheat is risky but for hay making and fodder
production the land is suited.
All the agricultural soils contain carbonate up to the surface
layer. Irrigation still does not lead
to decalcification. But again land use practices do not take
place within the area of investigation
and thus the habitats are comparably pristine.
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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Scheme 3 montane dry-steppe zone of transect (after Gottschling,
2003)
1 2 3 Vegetation dry steppe of Stipa capillata, Salsola
collina, Artemisia tianschanica,
Oxytropis globiflora
Intensively pastured dry steppe of Neopalassia pectinata,
Artemisia
tianschanica, Salsola collina, Stipa
capillata, Chenopodium album
Salsola collina A rtemisia
tianschanica-
Stipa capillata- dry steppe (partially of xeromorph Caragana
aurantiaca-shrubs especially in gullies)
Soil dark burozem, pale kastanozem (transition)
pale kastanozem, little saline pale kastanozem
Substrate skeletal calcareous sand calcareous sand, skeletal
calcareous sand
skeletal calcareous sand (granite erosion)
Relief slope site flat, large depression lower site of slote
Substrate water - - Little water intrusion from slope in
gully sites
Meso climate semi-arid semi-arid semi-arid
Use moderate to serious pasturing (W, SP, A)
serious pasturing, secondary vegetation (W, SP, A)
Moderate to serious pasturing (W, SP, A)
4 5 6 Vegetation peat complex,
among others occure: Carex
orbicularis, Parnassia palustris,
Triglochin maritima, Ligularia
heterophylla, Geranium collinum,
Eleocharis mitracarp
Salsola collina–Artemisia
tianschanica–Stipa capillata–
dry steppe
Elsholtzia densa, Pleconax
connoidea, Elytrigia repens,
Medicago lupulina, Cirsium
incanum, Avena fatua, Lathyrus
tuberosus and others (partially
irrigated fallow land)
Soil fen-gley pale kastanozem irrigated pale agricultural
kastanozem
Substrate calcareous peat, calcareous sand, calcareous silt
silt; sandy clay / sand; boulder silt; sandy clay / sand;
Relief gentle slope, ground water stow because of mountain
ridge
flat, gentle slope flat, gentle slope
Substrate water soil wetness - furrow irrigation
Meso climate semi-arid semi-arid semi-arid
Use hey making serious pasturing (W, SP, A) Irrigation
Table 2 site description montane dry-steppe zone of transect
(after Gottschling, 2003)
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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Montane steppe zone (2.200 – 2,400 m a.s.l.)
Dominating vegetation form is Teloxys aristata, Salsola collina,
Stipa capillata steppe with cover
of 45–65% at dark kastanozem (in parts gypseous in the bottom
profile). Characteristic is a high
share of nitrogen sequestering legume as Oxytropis globiflora,
Hedysarum songoricum and
Astragalus borodinii.
Teloxys aristata (Chenopodiaceae) as a therophyte grows in one
year, and did almost not
appear another year. Artemisia tianschanica grows in a lower
density then in the dry steppe
zone. Where pasturing is taking place, large hummocks of
Achnatherum splendens are
physiognomically peculiar. If very intensive pasturing takes
place, the steppe species are
substituted by thorn cushion communities from Acantholimon
alatavicum, Convolvulus
tragocanthoides and Lagochilius platyacanthus.
Differences in northern and southern aspects are little to
medium. The dry climatic conditions
are even at shadowed northern aspect sites determining
vegetation and soils, with some minor
differences in species composition. Soils at both aspects are
dark kastanozems. But there are
some aspect related differences in composition of substrates and
gypseous horizons in the soil
profiles.
Scheme 4 montane steppe zone of transect (after Gottschling,
2003)
1 2 3 4 Vegetation (Teloxys aristata) - Salsola
collina - Stipa capillata – steppe of Achnatherum
splendens
thorn cushion formations of Acantholimon alatavicum,
Convolvulus tragocanthoides,
Lagochiliusplatyacanthus
(serious degraded Salsola
collina-Stipa capillata-steppe)
(Teloxys aristata) - Salsola
collina-Stipa Capillata
Modified Salsola collina -Stipa capillata - steppe of Elytrigia
repens and
Chenopodium album
Soil dark kastanozem (not saline because of northern slope)
Seriously degraded (erosion) kastanozem
dark kastanozem (little salinized because of southern slope)
colluvial kastanozem, eutrophic
Substrate calcareous sand loam, calcareous silt,
skeletal calcareous silt skeletal calcareous sand, skeletal
calcareous silt)
Relief gentle slope, northern aspect
Upper slope, slope (eastern) gentle slope, southern aspect
depression
Substrate water Intensive discharge regime Slope inflow water /
irrigation of steppe
Meso climate semi-arid semi-arid semi-arid semi-arid
use Serious pasturing,
moderate degraded (SP, A)
Very serious pasturing,
serious degradation, secondary vegetation, thorn cushion (SP,
A)
Serious pasturing, (SP, A) Serious pasturing,
Eutrophic (SP,A,W)
Table 3 site description montane steppe zone of transect (after
Gottschling, 2003)
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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Map 5 Distribution of vegetation in the area of investigation.
source: Atlas of Kyrgyz SSR. V.1. М.: GUGK, 1987.
Within the area of investigation the following terrestrial
vertebrates are represented along the
described altitudinal zonation above (not complete): Class
Species of colline semi-desert zone Species of sub-montane
semi-
desert zone
Species of secondary steppe habitats in the
different montane zones
reptiles Ablepharus deserti Eremias arguta Ablepharus
deserti
Eremias multiocellata Natrix tessellata
Eremias velox Eremias multiocellata saturata
Eremias nikolskii
Eremias arguta
Psammophis lineolatus
Gloydius halys
birds Neophron percnopterus Motacilla personata Passer
domesticus
Calandrella cinerea Motacilla citreola Passer indicus
Bubo bubo Emberiza bruniceps P. montanus
Otus brucei Emberiza calandra Riparia riparia
Athene noctua Saxicola torquata Acridotheres tristis
Charadrius mongolus Coturnix coturnix Sturnus vulgaris
Syrrhaptes paradoxus Alauda arvensis Merops apiaster
Pterocles orientalis Passer Coracias garrulus
Calandrella cinerea Alcedo atthis
Anthus campestris Upupa epops
Oenanthe oenanthe Columba livia
Oenanthe isabellina Columba eversmanni
Sitta tephronota Athene noctua
Bucanetes mongolicus
Rhodospiza obsoleta
mammals Lepus tolai Mus musculus Cricetulus migratorius
Allactaga saltator Cricetulus migratorius Mus musculus
Meriones tamariscinus Spermophilus citellus Meles meles
Meriones erythrourus Lepus tolai
Mustela eversmanni Hemiechinus auritus
Canis lupus
Vulpes vulpes
Felis manul
amphibians Bufo viridis (indicator species) Bufo viridis
Table 4 vertebrates are represented by three types within the
area of investigation
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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The entire Issyk-Kul basin is most important for migratory
birds. In spring and autumn seasons
large numbers of birds especially waterfowl but others as well
use Lake Issyk-Kul as stop over or
even wintering habitat, among others demoiselle crane
(Anthropoides virgo), bar-headed goose
(Anser indicus), black stork (Ciconia nigra), ibisbill
(Ibidorhyncha struthersii) as well as for
wintering birds like Fulica ssp., Anas ssp., graylag goose
(Anser anser) and about 850 mute swans
(Cygnus olor) and whooper swans (Cygnus Cygnus) (WWF ECONET,
2013). Thus also the area of
investigation is a most important destination for migratory
birds, especially because of its
comparable remoteness to human interactions. In average, there
are up to 1.000 birds per day
observed. The species composition of migrants differs over the
migration period. The more
distant to Lake Issyk-Kul the less wintering species are
observed. In the far hinterland only 100
wintering bird species remain.
Lake Issyk-Kul hosts 28 species of fish of which 8 are endemic
(Birdlife International (2014)
Important Bird Areas factsheet: Western Issyk Kul Lake. Viewed
at www.birdlife.org on
07/04/2014). Some of these fishes are marinka (Schizothorax
issykkuli), ich (Ichthyophthirius
multifiliis), Issyk-Kul dace (Leuciscus bergi), minnow and
gudgeon.
Also the montane steppe zone inhabits nesting sites for the
majority of raptors among others
but most of all saker falcon (Falco cherug), lammergeyer
(Gypaetus barbatus), cinereous vulture
(Aegypius monachus) and eastern imperial eagle (Аquila
heliacal).
3.3. Socio-economic situation
There are a couple of villages around and near the area of
investigation (see map 6). All of them
impact on ecosystems and landscapes, most of them by
agricultural practices. It is a matter of
course that strict nature protection areas and priorities in
nature conservation targets
contradict with human settlements in between. That is why
certain needs of local population
must be considered and harmonized. Obviously the settlements do
not fit to the establishment
of a strict nature reserve. Another approach must be taken and
is outlined in chapter 4.3. From
a broad perspective there are only very limited settlements in
the area of investigation itself
and as already mentioned only very limited anthropogenic
pressure so far. That’s one of the
reasons for choosing the area for closer investigation in the
study. Nevertheless human cause
impact on nature, even at this place, either direct by accessing
or land use or indirect by
resource use of adjacent landscapes and ecosystems. The villages
in and around the area of
investigation are economically left behind. After collapse of
Soviet Union almost no cultural
institutions have survived, schools are poorly equipped, medical
treatment facilities are
marginal, people do not have the resources even to visit
neighboring district. The less exchange
with innovations and knowledge takes place. Birth rates are
high, mortality as well. Livestock
breeding and horticulture are almost the only means to survive.
Some of the major socio-
economic facts are given in table 5(compare villages with map
6).
To begin to overcome the mentioned shortcomings it is on the one
hand side essential to
receive external earnings but a waste to mention that this is
not the solution for the socio-
economic situation. People need advice on how to help
themselves. To found farmer
associations could function as a local-farmer-inherent mechanism
on agricultural advice,
technical assistance (machinery and equipment sharing) and
manpower support. Agricultural
products are to a large extent organic because farmers do not
have the resources for chemical
treatments (a positive aspect of economic break down). Organic,
local food is a preferred offer
for western tourists. Marketing chains need to get developed, a
task that is only to achieve with
extern support and know-how. Farmers should diversify their
products and use native species
that are adapted to the local site characteristics. Use of
agricultural small-scale technique, in
opposite to the soviet large scale machinery, is to be
preferred. The latter one is not maintained
anymore and therefore useless nowadays. For allocation of
necessary equipment micro-loan
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http:www.birdlife.org
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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approaches are a tested and sometimes well performing mechanism
to enable people’s self-
help. Introduction of adapted pasture management and breeding of
locally adapted, traditional
species, is another important mean. Livestock manure belongs to
soil development. To
compensate the lack of fuel and firewood, fast growing
plantations could be an approach, but
extern support for fuel import and support with energy-efficient
house building and house
restoration is indispensible. The biosphere reserve
administration needs to involve people into
participatory land use planning to initiate ownership and
distribute innovative and cheap to
implement land use practices.
Aiyl
Aimak
village Aiyl
Aimak
village
Aiyl
Aimak
village
Aiyl
Aimak
Kara-Koo Barbulak Kyzyl-Tuu Eshperov Ak-Sai
Bokom-
baevo
general
information
area in ha 24.096 327
residents 8.675 4.168 928 1.866 2.060 2.025 12.504
households 1.204 274 491
education
pupils 636 162 314 447 322 1.141
availability of
school books 78% 76% 74% 62%
husbandry
sheeps 10.000 2.510 3.200 3.722 4.107 *
cattle 1.450 394 550 614 848 6.990
horses 582 420 428 422 482 3.718
goats 779 292 466 297 390 *
poultry 1.657 14.022
agriculture
pastures in ha 39.587 5.028 22.006 74.004
area under crops
in ha 4.489 329 5.000 2.763
area under grain
in ha 1.630 12 1.385
hay area(fodder)
in ha 1.670 140 232 685
area under
potato in ha 876 111 120 312
area under fruits
and vegetable in
ha 130 274 289 21
Table 5 conditions of villages in the area of investigation
3.4. Tourism perspectives
As several times already stated the area of investigation is
comparably pristine. This is to a large
extent due to a poor transportation infrastructure. Where other
areas of Lake Issyk-Kul shore
are easily accessible because of roads that go pretty close
along the lake site, the area of
investigation has remained a remote destination. The areas of
easy accessibility suffer from
unmanaged anthropogenic impact which becomes immediately obvious
by evidence of
degraded vegetation cover, timber cutting, rubbish, water
pollution, nutrification and so on.
Thus on the one hand side the area of investigation has a
considerable potential to become a
destination for visitors which are looking for more pristine
places and act more cautious. On the
other hand it contradicts with typical nature conservation
targets to conserve biodiversity,
natural processes and gene pool.
In general there are almost no large resorts or hotel complexes
in the nearest surroundings of
the area of investigation. That is why the water is cleaner,
beaches are rarely crowded, and
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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existing tourism offers are aimed at people with interests in
calmness and countryside.
However there exist a few offers for tourists. The most relevant
ones are drafted in the
following:
A unique destination within the research area is a salt lake.
The salt lake on Issyk-Kul: (Tuzkel,
Tuz-Kul) — is the most salty mountain lake in whole Kyrgyzstan.
It is located at the outer most
western part of Lake Issyk-Kul, 73 km south of Balykchi, just 1
km from the shore line in its
hinterland, of the Terskei Ala-Too Mountain at 1.609 m above sea
level. It is in the eastern part
of the area of investigation (see map 6). The lake has an extent
of 1.500 m and a depth of 11 m.
The surface area amounts 86 ha. Water salinity reaches 65 g/l
(according to other sources - 132
g/l).
The road to the lake is unpaved. After raining the passage is
hampered. Along the road there
are agricultural acreages - hay-makings, pastures, orchards and
some construction sites like
sheep yards, buildings of temporary and permanent housing.
Cattle grazes along the road and
in summer horse-rides are offered to passing tourists. Near that
lake there are three
permanent buildings, that offer rooms for the price of 25 € per
night (in summer), and a yurt
camp. In summer there are about 48 yurts there. One yurt costs
about 16 € and in guest houses
the prices per bed ranges between 2 and 4 €. The yurt can be of
different size. The average size
yurt may consist of 5-6 sections. Before entering the territory
there is a barrier, because the
territory is leased by a private entrepreneur for 49 years.
Entrance is charged with 0.8 € per
adult person, 1,5 € per car; children enter for free. At the
northern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul,
resorts offer a tour to the Salt Lake, organize transport and
one-day trips. Infrastructure around
the lake is hardly developed; nevertheless anthropogenic impact
is apparent at many places.
Bar-Bulak Spring is a mineral water spring, located in Ton
District, 300 m away from Lake Issyk
Kul, 45 km east of Balykchi and 2,5 km to north-east of
Bar-Bulak village. In 1979 a 1.100 m
deep hole was drilled to gain access to mineral water. The water
is uncoloured, odorless and
has a temperature of approx. 44 °С. 2.5 l/s release from the
drilled hole. Mineralization is in the
range of 4.0 – 4.7 g/l. The chemical composition is
sulphate-sodium-chloride-calcium. In the
dissolved form predominate: nitrogen (88 - 90%), carbon dioxide
(4.2%) and helium (1.5%).
Furthermore copper, lead, zinc, fluorine, arsenic, molybdenum,
nickel and brome are
contained. These waters are used for baths; they are bottled
under the name “Bar-Bulak”. It is
used as a treatment for gastrointestinal, gynecological and
other diseases. “Bar-Bulak”
recreation house is operating near the water spring
(www.kyrgyzstantravel.info/resorts/mineral-
ru.htm). The spring is famous among tourists and local
residents.
Cultural events: On the initiative of local people and with the
support of the gold-mining
company “Kumtor” and other sponsors, in 2013 in Kyzyl Tuu
village / Ton district, the second
international festival “Kiyiz Duino” was held
(www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZA7cFZm3oE). The
program includes a variety of workshops, plays, exhibitions,
films, theater and concert shows
with the participation of Kyrgyz stars of pop and theatre.
During the festival, the entire territory
of the village was designed in the style of the 19th century,
and all villagers were dressed in
traditional Kyrgyz clothing. The festival administration sales
"patronage tickets" The ticket
included accommodation in a hotel of Kyzyl-Tuu village and
entrance fee for the festival. All
earnings were used to produce the documentary “Kiyiz Duino”,
which has been sent to the
“Golden Fund” of Kyrgyzstan. A two-day ticket took 63 € per
person. The first international
festival “Kiyiz Duino” took place in august 2012.
28
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZA7cFZm3oEwww.kyrgyzstantravel.info/resorts/mineral
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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It is necessary to note, that according to local administration,
the Kyzyl-Tuu village has the
largest share in the Kyrgyzstan yurts production.
Apricot festival: Moreover in august 2013 the apricot festival
took place in Ton District. The
festival aims to attract tourist’s attention to apricots growing
at the southern shore of Lake
Issyk-Kul. Local apricots are famous for their taste quality and
for their organic way of
production. During the festival, a concert of Kyrgyz folklore,
as well as games, contests and
cooking classes were organized.
In summer at Ton District shore yurt camps for tourists are
organized by local population, which
also sell kumyz (fermented horse milk) and honey.
In Bokombaevo village the NGO “Bokombaevo-Manjily” has been
founded to promote
sustainable eco-tourism in Ton District. The initiative promotes
fairs of traditional handicraft
and sustainable community based hunting management. At the holy
place "Manjyly-Ata"
festivals are arranged, containing eagle shows, demonstrations
of how ala-kiyiz is produced,
trade fairs of souvenirs and folk concerts. Reception and
services for tourists up to 50 people
are offered.
From what has been mentioned here the spontaneity of events is
the most obvious peculiarity
of tourism offers at the moment near the region of
investigation. There are events interesting
for tourists from time to time but nothing that could attract
tourists and gain income from
tourism at a regular and more or less predictable basis.
However since the area of investigation is still pristine and of
outstanding uniqueness, tourism
development should not be the first choice recommendation for
the area anyway. Nature
conservation must be in the first place. At second it is
imaginable that guided tours at properly
signed paths through the territory with clearly defined
“to-do’s” and “not to-do’s” could be an
additional and regular offer for tourists who visit the region
and the villages of Bokombaevo,
Kara-Koo, Barbulak and so on.
Parts of the area of investigation that this study proposes to
manage under nature protection
targets can be kept accessible for well managed and sustainable
tourism offers. The area must
not function as a tourist destination but as an additional offer
for tourists among the others
mentioned above to attract the whole region as a
destination.
Thus it is imaginable that a recreational beach zone could be
offered but it must be taken care
that all activities which are incompatible with the task of
protection of shore communities
(colline semi-desert zone) are avoided. Paved paths or roads
decrease the ability of the
ecosystem of self-purification of the shore for instance. A
provision to avoid such negative
impact can be formulated by the local aiyl aimak kenesh for the
area of investigation.
The above mentioned existing nature tourism destinations should
be developed adequately in
its sanitary and environmental dimensions to decrease the harm
to nature as much as possible
while gaining additional income from tourism at district and
village level.
To combine strict nature protection efforts through
establishment or extension of a state
reserve with the opportunity to involve local population and
tourists in regional development
goals and participation in nature conservation an innovative
approach needs to be tested and is
proposed below.
29
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Potential for strengthening the coverage of the core zone of
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4. CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1. Objects of nature conservation value
The area of investigation is bordering with two sites (out of
14) of Issyk Kul State Reserve,
namely “Ottukskim” and “Kara-Koo” (see map 4). Kara-Koo and
adjacent areas provide habitat
conditions that may facilitate the rehabilitation of the
following species listed in the R